Tag: homeschool

WFMW: Keeping students motivated

Earlier this school year I instituted a new reward system in our homeschool that I thought might encourage others as well. As a result we have enjoyed some smooth, productive weeks academically speaking. We have still enjoyed our share of bumps in the road and attitudes here and then, but I just need to rave a bit about our new found secret for these smooth, easy days.

Bribery definitely works.

According to this “experiment,” we often offer a weekly reward for all students completing their school work by a certain time on Friday, and then we can finish our school week with something fun. I have even increased the number of subjects that we cover on a more regular basis because their motivation keeps them trucking along so they can finish the school week a little early.

One afternoon we headed to the local Best Buy. My son requested this to play the video games there. The girls were not quite on board with that idea, but ended up making the most of it. Then we swung by McDonald’s for sundaes for a double reward.

Sweet success!

This addition to our homeschool plan has helped to keep our gears in forward motion each day and create a more positive atmosphere. We constantly encourage each other to get a little more done, and use our time a little more efficiently to continually work closer to the goal. Some days still accomplish more than others, but overall we have gotten far more done each week than we did a while back, with much better attitudes to boot!

We have only scratched the surface of reward ideas . . . ice cream, popcorn balls, snow cones, picnics, donuts, the dollar store, video game time, play dates. Half the fun is choosing the reward at the beginning of the week.

They continue to plot  for the weeks ahead, and this has definitely worked for us, and kept boredom at bay any season of the year.

Book sales

If you missed out on the various book sales around the area the last couple months, here is your opportunity to connect with buyers and sellers of homeschool curriculum around the Chicagoland area:

SPECIAL EDITION:
NORTHERN ILLINOIS HOMESCHOOL MONTHLY
USED BOOK SALE
Are you looking for materials for your homeschool?
Or
Are you cleaning out old materials to make room for new materials?
Saturday, 6/13/09, there will be a special edition of Northern Illinois Homeschool Monthly devoted to helping homeschoolers in Northern Illinois buy and sell their used homeschool books, curriculum and items of interested to fellow homeschooling families.
If you have something to sell, please send a list of your items with prices, your first name, your e-mail address and your phone number toN.Il.HomeschoolMonthly@gmail.com by midnight on Friday, 6/12/09.

If you are looking to buy a certain book, curriculum or something your family needs that another homeschooling family might be ready to pass along, send your request with your first name, your e-mail address and your phone number to N.Il.HomeschoolMonthly@gmail.com by midnight on Friday, 06/12/09.

Please note: The editor (Julie Schnepper) is not responsible for typos in your e-mail, money disputes between buyers and sellers or any other problems that might occur as you conduct business with other buyers and sellers.

Remember: The deadline is Friday, 6/12/09 at midnight!

Masterpiece Art classes updates

Masterpiece Art Instruction
411 Locust Street
North Aurora, IL 60542
630-897-9826

Some updates on June art camps – “Exploring the World with Pastels”

1. The June 8-11 camp has been moved from Hobby Lobby in Aurora to Community Christian Church in Naperville (corner of Ogden and Rickert).

2. The June 15-18 camp has been cancelled due to low enrollment.

3. A class has been added at the home of Holly Ramsey in Naperville.  It will run June 22-25. There are some open seats – online registration is available.

You can sign up for the available camps online at:

http://www.teachartathome.com/Classes.html

“Exploring the World” Art Camp (ages 7-12)

Students will depict various scenes from around the world using soft pastels to create beautiful, frame-worthy pieces of art. As always, Karine will draw along with her students and introduce them to drawing and rendering techniques.

Time: 2-4 PM
Ages: 7-12
Fee: $50 per student (due at first class)

————————————–

Other summer art classes:

* Art Careers Worshops (ages 11-18)
* Outdoor Sketching Workshops

Learn more and register online at:

http://www.teachartathome.com/Classes.html

HSLDA sponsored webinar tomorrow, June 2

HSLDA: Don’t miss tomorrow’s FREE @home e-vent: What Wives Wish Their
Husbands Knew About Homeschooling

How can a homeschooling dad play an active, involved role in his
children’s education without neglecting other essential
responsibilities? What ought to be his highest priorities?

Some homeschooling husbands feel they have a nearly impossible role to
play–as the provider, protector, and primary educator of the family.
Scott Somerville offers his wisdom and advice from years of experience
as a homeschooling father as he explains the hierarchy of priorities
that ensure a thriving home education.  Scott helps husbands realize
that most moms’ desire for practical help, bigger budgets, and time to
plan curriculum come far down on that list of priorities. When
husbands understand that wives want a principal and pastor more than
they need a teacher’s aide or assistant janitor, they can provide the
necessary assurance, godly leadership, and involvement that their
families need.

Learn how to balance and strengthen your family’s homeschool by
listening to Scott Somerville’s helpful and encouraging webinar
tomorrow, Tuesday, June 2, at 3 p.m. (ET). Gain a clearer
understanding of how to provide the education, encouragement, and
leadership needed to make your home the best learning environment
possible.

There is still space in tomorrow’s free e-vent! Don’t miss this
important and helpful session–register now at
http://www.hslda.org/athome .

This webinar is free to both members and non-members. If you are not
an HSLDA member, we invite you to join today for future webinar
discounts and other benefits at www.hslda.org/join.

If you have any questions, please contact the @home e-vent coordinator
at webinars@hslda.org

->  Have you ever yelled into the wind, only to hear the sound of your
voice blown back at you?

It’s hard to be heard in the midst of a storm. Trying to influence
federal legislation is much like yelling to be heard while
standing in a fierce wind. Yet when 80,000 voices join together,
they become a powerful force that cannot be drowned out.
Join HSLDA to be heard above the tempests that threaten homeschool
freedoms.

More reasons to join HSLDA…
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1939

ST. AMBROSE HOME SCHOOL PERFORMING ARTS CLUB & KINGSWOOD ACADEMY PERFORMING ARTS CLUB

Title: ST. AMBROSE HOME SCHOOL PERFORMING ARTS CLUB & KINGSWOOD ACADEMY PERFORMING ARTS CLUB
Location: Moser Performing Arts Center Auditorium 500 Wilcox Street, Joliet, IL 60435
Description: ST. AMBROSE HOME SCHOOL PERFORMING ARTS CLUB &
KINGSWOOD ACADEMY PERFORMING ARTS CLUB
come together to perform an evening extravaganza

`Beauty IS a Beast’
(A comedy play with a twist of Faith)

Dance…Dance…Dance
(Enjoy watching the talented ballet, pointe, jazz & tap dancers)
Choreographer: Kelly Ryan

‘A Tribute to America’
(Listen or sing along)

University of St. Francis
Moser Performing Arts Center Auditorium
500 Wilcox Street, Joliet, IL 60435

Friday, June 5, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 6, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.

$5.00 per ticket

To purchase tickets, contact Margaret Ryan at
ryan-margaret@ att.net or call 708-301-6267
Limited number of tickets will be sold at the door!
Start Time: 7:00
Date: 2009-06-05

Chicago Homeschool Expo

Title: Chicago Homeschool Expo
Location: Schaumburg Convention Center
Link out: Click here
Description: The Homeschool Expo is a “don’t miss” whole family two day event with hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of products where parents can review and purchase the latest curriculum, hear great speakers who give practical encouragement, and receive personalized help and answers to any question. Their workshops especially emphasize the practical aspects of working with children in ways that will promote their educational, social and emotional growth.
Start Date: 2009-08-07
End Date: 2009-08-08

Institute for Excellence in Writing Workshops

Looking for help in teaching writing to your children? There are a number of workshops this summer that may be of interest to you.

A little about the teacher:

Linda Mikottis, a Special Education Consultant with the Institute for Excellence in Writing, offers writing workshops for students in grades 4-5, 6-8 and high school.  She also offers seminars for parents and teachers.   New classes are always being added.

Linda is an Accomplished Instructor with the Institute for Excellence in Writing and is a certified elementary education and special education teacher.   She has home schooled for the last 13 years.  She and her husband have graduated their oldest children and continue to teach their youngest son at home.

Teaching Writing: Structure and Style

Parent/Teacher Seminar

The only writing method you will ever need to teach writing to students in grades one through twelve!

July 10-11, 2009 in St. John, IN

Registration Deadline: June 26th, 2009

Time: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30p.m.

Where:

Harvest Ridge Church Office Building (upstairs meeting room)

9495 Keilman

St. John, IN 46373

Cost: $89.00 Materials fee: $27.00

July 17-18, 2009 in Monee, IL

Registration Deadline: July 3rd, 2009

Time: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30p.m.

Where:

Family of Faith Church

6645 W. Steger Rd.

Monee, IL

Cost: $89.00 Materials fee: $27.00

The Teaching Writing: Structure and Style two day seminar, gives you, the teacher, the skills needed to confidently model for your students how to outline and summarize, generate cohesive paragraphs, create stories, produce reports and critiques, develop essays, and put into writing the information hidden in their brains.

Writing Workshops
Registration Deadline: June 8, 2009

Classes available for various grade levels that cover outlines, note taking, narratives, “dress-up” your writing, and other useful tools and tasks.

Class size: Minimum 8, Maximum 15 per workshop

Cost: $75.00 (discounts for additional students in same family)

June 22-26th, 2009 in St. John, IN

For more information or to register contact Linda at linda@excellenceinwriting.com or 630-244-5735

Homeschooling High School for College and Beyond

Title: Homeschooling High School for College and Beyond
Location: Plainfield Public Library
Link out: Click here
Description: A free workshop on July 1 at 7:30 pm, sponsored by The Plainfield Homeschool Group. Come for some helpful encouragement on homeschooling high school.

See library website for more details.

Start Time: 19:30
Date: 2009-07-01

The Old Schoolhouse Summer Reading Program

The following is a message from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine:

It’s hard to believe that so many months have passed and it’s time to kick off our SECOND ANNUAL SUMMER READING SPLASH! We had so much fun last year and hope that you and your children did as well. We’re looking forward to another summer filled with lots of reading and great books! (This reading program is open to ANY homeschooled student – you do not have to be a TOS magazine or E-newsletter subscriber in order for your children to participate.) As a matter of fact, we are so passionate about getting children to read, we’d love for you to share this information with EVERYONE you know! Please forward this e-mail to all your homeschooling friends and share the news about the Summer Reading Splash!

Over the next 3 months, we’ll provide lots of great information and creative ideas for encouraging your children to read. Below, you will see (in more detail) what all we have available to you NOW. As the summer progresses, we will add more resources to Splish’s blog. You’ll want to check back often! In the coming weeks and months, we will be offering several freebies and downloads to enrich your family’s reading fun!
Summer is a fantastic time to promote reading to your child(ren). Take a break from your regular studies and just spend some time reading to and with them. We are looking forward to another fun summer and hope that you will encourage your children to participate. Please continue reading below to learn more about some of the awesome things we have planned for the summer. Then, go pick up a book and READ!

Set Reading Goals

We will be providing you with downloadable record-keeping sheets; these are available in two formats- for younger students and older students.

We encourage you to help your children set attainable reading goals this summer. Let your children take an active role in helping to set their own goals; they will be more eager to read if they are doing it for themselves! At the end of our 10-week program, you’ll have opportunity to share your child’s reading logs and he/she will automatically be entered in a drawing for free books!

Kick-Off Contest

This year, we have decided to kick things off with a fun coloring contest! We have two coloring pages – both featuring our mascot, Splish the frog – one for older kids and one for younger kids.

To enter the contest, click here. Download the appropriate coloring page(s) and print. Then, follow the rules for submitting your entries. (Be sure to read the entire page.)

The winning entries will be “popping up” throughout the summer on Splish’s blog. And, the best part … we’ve got a great prize package of summer reading material for the winners as well! So, get those crayons, markers, and colored pencils out and get to work!

All submissions due by June 16th.

We hope that you will encourage your children to participate in the SECOND ANNUAL SUMMER READING SPLASH, not only by reading books this summer, but by playing along in our weekly scavenger hunts. Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.

Sincerely,
Splish and the rest of your friends at The Old Schoolhouse(r) Magazine

Keepers at Home and Contenders for the Faith

A couple years ago I started looking for a program that would allow me to mentor my growing girls on a spiritual and practical level. I wanted some type of Christian Girl Scout experience.

In looking around, I came across a company called American Heritage Girls that looked rather interesting. It is a “nonprofit organization dedicated to the mission of building women of integrity through service to God, family, community and country.” It sounds like a well organized, exciting program. However, as I looked at the expenses involved it would cost at least $75 per student per year without even considering books and uniforms. That falls out of the affordability of most homeschool families I know that might have some interest in joining a club with us. They probably offer a great program, a solid framework to fit into, easy to start up, and lots of support for the coordinator if needed, just not right for my family and situation.

I continued my search.

Then I came across another club, also designed with young Christian girls in mind. The Keepers at Home club developed by the Keepers of the Faith organization. After looking over the materials, objectives, framework and flexibility of the program I knew this was what I was looking for.

I ordered a couple of the handbooks and the director’s guide and began studying the program in earnest. As fall approached I realized that I had stumbled upon a great thing and other homeschool families might want to jump in on this also. I sent an email to my homeschool group expecting one or two other families to begin this journey with. Well, by the time of our first meeting in November we had 9 families with a total of 20 children!

I love the heart of this program, to raise godly girls prepared to be godly keepers at home. I love the flexibility also. We meet only once a month. You could meet once a week, but our schedules are too busy to add something that often. Once a month we get together at my house and have explored decoupage, stenciling, prayer, pets, baking, and letter writing. We begin with a devotional time, then the kids have an opportunity to share any projects they have worked on since our last meeting, and then have the lesson or project time.

The book for the club is simple, but packed full of ideas for learning, discipleship and mentoring the young girls into adult hood. The book costs about $15, but is used for the duration of the program. The ideas (over 100 of them), depending on how quickly you go through them, could easily last you for 8-10 years and many could be repeated at greater depth as the girls grow older.

We set our club cost at $40 per child for the year including the book and sash. Next year for returning students they will only need $25 for the year to cover all of the projects and activities that we offer. This easily fits in my desire to mentor my girls while keeping a frugal, simple lifestyle. We all look forward to club time each month and have had great opportunities to grow our relationship through crafts and projects with spiritual significance.

There is also a club for boys, Contenders of the Faith, which we are looking to incorporate even more next year for the boys that have joined our group as well. These are great programs that offer a framework and concepts to build into the lives of our children.
And, while the end result is priceless, we don’t need to break the bank to get there. This wonderful program has definitely worked for us.